Census data show that Washington, D.C., has lost black majority for the first time since 1950.

The Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations of the nation's capital combined grew more than 29% since 2000, leaving non-Hispanic black Washingtonians with 50% of the population, according to Census figures released Thursday. Including Hispanic blacks brings that number to 50.7%

"It's big news," said Benjamin Orr, a research analyst at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "It's a little bit surprising," he said, because the rate of change was faster than expected.

Washington's overall population grew 5% to 601,723, the first increase since a decline that began in the 1950s.

Urban growth and a white influx reflect a trend seen in other large cities. Since 2000, the number of non-Hispanic whites increased 50,286 and Hispanics 9,796. The black population decreased by 39,035, or 11.5%.

The change points to the city's success at attracting new residents through a reduction in crime and efforts to improve the schools. People also are attracted more to an urban, walkable lifestyle, Orr said.

"And as it becomes more attractive, it attracts higher-income households," Orr said. He adds, "As it becomes a more expensive place to live, it pushes out lower-income households. Lower-income households in the district have been historically black."

He added, "That doesn't mean (blacks) won't still be the largest group in the district. They will. But the district is changing in some pretty significant ways, and residents are still struggling to come to grips with that — to figure out what this new district is going to look like as they develop it further."

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